Imberbe wrote:We saw the brown-veined whites migrating early December already. We drove for about 100 km plus through such a "migration", all the way from Barberton up to Belfast. Some of the movements may be local movements, while the big movement is from the arid parts of SA. moving North east up to Zim and Mosambique.

I note this thread goes back to the 2006 "migration". That was a most exceptional year for brown-veined whites. There were literally millions upon millions of them all over Gauteng (and possibly in other places as well). I have never seen as many butterflies before or after. Wherever one looked there were swarms of butterflies.

I remember it particularly because I have a first aid class at the school where I matriculated and I allowed a "side-track" (which is rare in my teaching style) specifically so that we could talk butterflies. I like butterflies.

I don't get to the Parks nearly often enough, despite two trips to the KNP and one to Golden Gate this year.

We have seen this phenomenon nearly every year but yesterday was amazing. If we blocked out the sun with a book we could see these white butterflies drifting ever upward towards the sun - and trailing behind many of them were gossamer threads! Any idea what these were? I could only surmise that they were threads from when the pupae were attached to the leaves and the hatching butterflies somehow still had some threads attached?

Can anyone tell me what the lovely brown-veined white butterflies and the green ones are that you see en masse in the Kgalagadi in the rainy season? You usually see them in great groups, sipping at water puddles in the road. I think the white ones are 'caper white' or 'pioneer white' or 'brown-veined white', which all seem to be alternate common names for Belenois aurota. But I haven't been able to identify the pale green pearlescent ones you often see with them. Anyone?

I have a photo I could provide for confirmation, but I don't know how to copy it here.

Annie, here's a quick link to our website where we answer the question regarding the brown-veined white migrations. The other species with the pearly green underside is the African migrant / Afrikaanse swerwer / Catopsilia florella. They are not as well known for their migrations as the brown-veined white, but in general they can also travel pretty large distances and often congregate around mud with the other white butterflies. Also have a look at the following: http://www.lepsoc.org.za/general/faqs.html

Arks, the little blue butterfly is a sooty blue (Zizeeria knysna). They can be pretty common, but also easily confused with other small butterflies such as the Gaika blue and Clover blue. Even though the identificafion for the widow is possibly correct, be carefull as there are 5/6 species in the genus (group), and some of them can only be told apart by dissecting them

"If you can only visit two continents in your lifetime, visit Africa.... TWICE" - R.Elliot